Day 2 Day Tour to Jiufen, Yehliu, and Shifen + Raohe Night Market

A Day Tour to Jiufen, Yehliu, and Shifen from Taipei is one of the highlights in my Taiwan trip. Joining tour groups is not really my thing. I’m always awkward and I’m bad with scheduled (timed) itineraries. So why did I avail of their service? Well the short answer is for convenience, not to mention the great reviews of their services. Exploring Northern Taiwan can be challenging when commuting. The kkday tour is a good alternative especially when you have limited time and travelling with kids or the elderly.

The tour groups all met at the main at Taipei Main Station. After checking all participants we all walk toward the bus parked outside the station. The tour includes an English speaking guide. Eric was a good tour guide and was able to cover all the destination in a timely manner. The kkday does not include Sky lantern expenses , attraction admissions and meals. Check the kkday website for more information.

Get spirited away a day tour to Jiufen, Yehliu, & Shifen

Yehliu Geopark

The tour started at Yehliu Geopark, famous for its unusual rock formations. the weather was good but it was a little hot. One rock formation that stood out was the “Queen’s Head”, some say it resembles Queen Elizabeths profile or the bust statue of Queen Nefertiti. Since its a natural formation it also changes it shape due to the environment, fortunately a replica was built near the entrance of the park.

Shifen Old Streets & Shifen Waterfall

The Shifen is popular in making wishes by releasing colorful sky lanterns. The color of the lanterns represents love, wealth and health. Choose the color and right your wishes on the lantern. After releasing my lantern we wandered along the winding alleys and lanes of the old Shifen railway station area. For lunch I tried the chicken wing stuffed with rice.

After an hour of exploring we headed to waterfalls. Since its a weekend the bus took us to the water falls. The water fall is 40 meters tall and you can regularly spot rainbows at the bottom of the fall.

JIUFEN

Get lost in a maze paths and alleyways in this charming town. Jiufen was originally a small town turned to a mining town during Japanese occupation in 1893. The building reflects the influence of Japanese culture in the island. A lot of people associate Jiufen with the movie Spirited away but according to the creator Hayao Miyazaki the movie was not inspired by the town. But if you have watched the movie you’ll definitely feel that your on a scene from the movie, especially when it gets dark and the lanterns get lit.

I informed our tour guide that i will not be joining the group going back to Taipei. I decided to wait until the sunsets and the lanterns get lit. I also wanted to explore the area more. The town really look magical in the evening. Going back to Taipei, I took the 1062 bus. It took some time and the queue was quite long.

Commuting to this locations are doable but it could be challenging. Joining the KKday tour is a convenient way to explore the area. The day tour to Jiufen, Yehliu, and Shifen , includes an English speaking tour guide and transportation, you dont have to worry about taking public transportation.

Raohe Night Market

This is not part of the tour with KKday. From Jiufen I took the 1062 bus and alighted near Songshan Station. Raohe Street Night Market is one of the oldest night market in Taiwan. Enjoy a wide array of snacks and traditional Taiwanese street food.

How to get there: Ride the Green Line 3 to the terminal station Songshan exit 5.

A day tour to Jiufen, Yehliu, and Shifen is a must when visiting Taiwan. You can do it by yourself or join a tour group. And to end the day visit Raohe night market for some sumptuous Taiwanese food.